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Kerry, Edwards Head-on Collision Tonight

Aired February 26, 2004 - 10:36   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight's 90 minute debate can be seen live on here CNN beginning at 9:00 Eastern. And for more on the evolving dynamics of the race, let's turn now to CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider also in Los Angeles. Good morning to you, Bill.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Heidi.

COLLINS: Let's talk about this debate tonight. What are we going to expect to see? Frank sort if eluded to the possibility that Edwards could really be trying very hard to steal supporters from Kerry. Is he going to be able to do that?

SCHNEIDER: Well he's certainly going to have to try because they're going to change the dynamic of this race.

Basically Democrats here in California, as they are in most of the country, are satisfied with John Kerry. I don't get a sense of passion. I've spoken to a lot people out here in California. They say they're happy with Kerry. They think they can beat Bush. Electablity. But there's no real passion for his the way there once was, say, for Bill Clinton.

So there's a possibility they could be taken away from him. But Edwards is going to have to make a case that Kerry is not electable, that he's a Massachusetts liberal, that they ought to take another look at somebody else.

Edwards may have to throw what people call a "Hail Mary pass," some sort of arresting statement that will get the voters' attention and get on the news tonight, get in the newspapers tomorrow morning and people will say, Hey, I'm going to take another look at this guy, because he has to shake this race up.

And also Edwards doesn't have enough money to run a campaign ads on television in California. That can cost $2 million a week. He doesn't have it. So tonight is his last chance to make an impression.

COLLINS: I know you went to some of the Hollywood parties out there. Is everyone -- I notice that you say lot of people are on board with Kerry but not particularly passionate about him. Who did you see and talk to?

SCHNEIDER: I talked to some people who were professionals in Hollywood. I went to a young Hollywood professionals meeting which was a Kerry event last night.

And when I went up to people there, it was interesting. I said, How long have you been for John Kerry? And they all said, Well I'm here shopping. I want to take a look at John Kerry because I was a Wesley Clark person. I kept saying, What's going on here? All these people are Wesley Clark people.

Wesley Clark was a very big draw here in Hollywood. His son is a Hollywood screen writer. Lot of Clinton people were attracted to Wesley Clark. They said, my God, a four-star general, former supreme allied commander. Perfect for beating George Bush.

If there was a big Clark movement anywhere in the country it was here. Remember, he was endorsed by Madonna. So lot of these people are now taking a look at John Kerry.

COLLINS: Interesting endorsement.

All right, also a big issue we've been talking about for days now, gay marriage. How do you think the candidates or hopeful nominees will be handling that issue tonight?

SCHNEIDER: Very carefully because they don't really differ much on gay marriage, which is of course a very hot issue here because last time I looked San Francisco was sort of part of California, if it's part of any state. And it's a big issue.

Look, Edwards and Kerry really don't have a fundamental difference. They both oppose gay marriages but support civil unions and believe states should have the right to pass laws short of gay marriage. They going to have to talk about the president's proposal for constitutional amendment.

But I'll tell you something, that proposal, this is one of the states in the Union, one of the few maybe, where that proposal is not very popular. Most Americans are divided. But here in California, the field poll that came out today of California voters show the majority, you see it right here, 54 percent of Californians disapprove of amending the Constitution to ban gay marriage.

This is a libertarian state. So this will not gain George Bush much support here. In fact, quite the opposite. So you'll probably see Kerry and Edwards tonight talking about why that amendment is a bad thing.

COLLINS: All right. CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider from Los Angeles. Thanks so much, Bill.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 26, 2004 - 10:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight's 90 minute debate can be seen live on here CNN beginning at 9:00 Eastern. And for more on the evolving dynamics of the race, let's turn now to CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider also in Los Angeles. Good morning to you, Bill.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Heidi.

COLLINS: Let's talk about this debate tonight. What are we going to expect to see? Frank sort if eluded to the possibility that Edwards could really be trying very hard to steal supporters from Kerry. Is he going to be able to do that?

SCHNEIDER: Well he's certainly going to have to try because they're going to change the dynamic of this race.

Basically Democrats here in California, as they are in most of the country, are satisfied with John Kerry. I don't get a sense of passion. I've spoken to a lot people out here in California. They say they're happy with Kerry. They think they can beat Bush. Electablity. But there's no real passion for his the way there once was, say, for Bill Clinton.

So there's a possibility they could be taken away from him. But Edwards is going to have to make a case that Kerry is not electable, that he's a Massachusetts liberal, that they ought to take another look at somebody else.

Edwards may have to throw what people call a "Hail Mary pass," some sort of arresting statement that will get the voters' attention and get on the news tonight, get in the newspapers tomorrow morning and people will say, Hey, I'm going to take another look at this guy, because he has to shake this race up.

And also Edwards doesn't have enough money to run a campaign ads on television in California. That can cost $2 million a week. He doesn't have it. So tonight is his last chance to make an impression.

COLLINS: I know you went to some of the Hollywood parties out there. Is everyone -- I notice that you say lot of people are on board with Kerry but not particularly passionate about him. Who did you see and talk to?

SCHNEIDER: I talked to some people who were professionals in Hollywood. I went to a young Hollywood professionals meeting which was a Kerry event last night.

And when I went up to people there, it was interesting. I said, How long have you been for John Kerry? And they all said, Well I'm here shopping. I want to take a look at John Kerry because I was a Wesley Clark person. I kept saying, What's going on here? All these people are Wesley Clark people.

Wesley Clark was a very big draw here in Hollywood. His son is a Hollywood screen writer. Lot of Clinton people were attracted to Wesley Clark. They said, my God, a four-star general, former supreme allied commander. Perfect for beating George Bush.

If there was a big Clark movement anywhere in the country it was here. Remember, he was endorsed by Madonna. So lot of these people are now taking a look at John Kerry.

COLLINS: Interesting endorsement.

All right, also a big issue we've been talking about for days now, gay marriage. How do you think the candidates or hopeful nominees will be handling that issue tonight?

SCHNEIDER: Very carefully because they don't really differ much on gay marriage, which is of course a very hot issue here because last time I looked San Francisco was sort of part of California, if it's part of any state. And it's a big issue.

Look, Edwards and Kerry really don't have a fundamental difference. They both oppose gay marriages but support civil unions and believe states should have the right to pass laws short of gay marriage. They going to have to talk about the president's proposal for constitutional amendment.

But I'll tell you something, that proposal, this is one of the states in the Union, one of the few maybe, where that proposal is not very popular. Most Americans are divided. But here in California, the field poll that came out today of California voters show the majority, you see it right here, 54 percent of Californians disapprove of amending the Constitution to ban gay marriage.

This is a libertarian state. So this will not gain George Bush much support here. In fact, quite the opposite. So you'll probably see Kerry and Edwards tonight talking about why that amendment is a bad thing.

COLLINS: All right. CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider from Los Angeles. Thanks so much, Bill.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com